“Let the games begin,” said Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran in front of over 4,200 athletes at Prospera Place on Wednesday night for the opening ceremonies to the 2019 55+ BC Games.

Twelve teams representing various regions across B.C. paraded into the stands of the arena, but the biggest applause was saved for the nearly 1,000 athletes representing the Okanagan-Similkameen, also known as Zone 5.

The 30-sport event is the biggest games in the over 40-year history of the annual competition and is also the largest sporting event to ever be held in Kelowna.